Almost 40% of remote workers admit using technology to look busy when they are not, study shows
FILE-A remote worker sits at his desk working on a computer in his home. (Photo by John Conrad Williams, Jr./Newsday RM via Getty Images)
Remote work has been on the rise in recent years as more companies have shifted their operations out of a traditional office setting.
Professionals who have the benefit of working in the comfort of their own home can enjoy the flexibility of working at their own pace, but a new Lending Tree study reveals that some workers are utilizing digital tools to give the impression that they are remaining productive on the job when they actually are not.
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To collect data for the study, LendingTree commissioned QuestionPro to conduct an online survey of 2,000 Americans aged 18 to 79 from May 1 to 6, 2025. Researchers reviewed all responses for quality control.
Almost 40% of remote workers utilize software/hacks to look busy at work
Dig deeper:
Lending Tree’s study found that 39% of remote workers have used software or hacks to make it look like they’re working when they aren’t. The report noted that a higher rate of men report using these tactics than women — 44% versus 32%.
Separately, the study revealed that most remote workers leverage their work-from-home status to earn money on the side. Approximately 51% have generated extra income while working their main job. Similar to using productivity hacks, male remote workers are more likely to double dip than female remote workers — 58% versus 42%.
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Meanwhile, remote workers who haven’t picked up extra work, 58% have considered doing so — even temporarily. More female remote workers admit they think about it often than male workers say they do — 10% versus 6%.
Parents working remotely manage home distractions
Local perspective:
Working remotely can present challenges for parents with the number of tasks they have to manage.
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According to Lending Tree, 74% of remote workers with kids younger than 18 years old reported caring for their children while trying to work, compared to 39% who said they always care for their kids while working.
Another 69% of parents working remotely admit to doing household chores during working hours. The study noted that 52% of these workers put in longer hours, while 18% work fewer.
Nearly 50% of remote workers hope not to return to the office
Big picture view:
The convenience of working from home is a luxury that many professionals don’t want to relinquish, with 45% of respondents saying they are opposed to returning to the office full-time, while another 36% say it's contingent on the terms of their return to the office.
According to the study, men are more resistant than women to the change, with 49% of men saying they’re opposed to returning to the office full-time, compared with 40% of women. Approximately 54% of remote workers with kids under 18 years old are opposed to returning to the office.
The Source: Information for this story was provided by Lending Tree, which commissioned QuestionPro to conduct an online survey of 2,000 Americans aged 18 to 79 from May 1 to 6, 2025. Researchers reviewed all responses for quality control. This story was reported from Washington, D.C.